On Friday night, August 22, the Rhode Island Department Transportation (RIDOT) will temporarily shift all travel lanes on I-95 North to the left near the Route 37/Jefferson Boulevard service road (Exits 31A-C), as well as the lanes on the service road, in Warwick. The change creates a work zone so RIDOT can begin demolition activities on the large, structurally deficient bridges carrying I-95 over Jefferson Boulevard and the Pawtuxet River.
All lanes, off-ramps and on-ramps will remain open, but lanes will be narrowed. RIDOT does not expect this traffic shift to cause congestion but advises motorists to reduce their speed and drive carefully through the work zone.
The lane shift will be in place through the fall and will be followed by future temporary traffic pattern changes as RIDOT replaces these bridges one section at a time. By taking this approach, RIDOT will not have to close lanes during peak travel periods so traffic along this critical link of interstate will not be interrupted. Construction will continue through the 2027 construction season, when RIDOT expects to complete these bridge replacements.
This work is part of the I-95 15 Bridges project, which will remove 15 bridges from the state's backlog of poor and fair to poor condition bridges along I-95 and Route 10 between Providence and Warwick. Nine of the 15 bridges are structurally deficient. Three are rated among the top five most traveled structurally deficient bridges in Rhode Island. At the Huntington Viaduct, RIDOT will redesign the entire interchange of Route 10 with I-95. More details are available at www.ridot.net/The-I-95-15.
All construction projects are subject to changes in schedule and scope depending on needs, circumstances, findings, and weather.
The I-95 15 Bridges project is made possible by RhodeWorks. RIDOT is committed to bringing Rhode Island's infrastructure into a state of good repair while respecting the environment and striving to improve it. Learn more at www.ridot.net/RhodeWorks.